When the Ground Moves
by messersmontana
Summary: During a quake on P3X 129 Sam gets trapped and remembers the first time she laid eyes on Jack O’Neill, years before she was assigned to the SGC. Sam is reliving certain moments in her life, in flashbacks.


Title: When the Ground Moves

Author: LtColSamanthaCarter (Trisha)

Category: romance, maybe some hurt and comfort, this is not cannon.

Slight crossover with JAG (occurs during the flashback/dream sequence).

Rating: T

This is a repost, posted on 5/9/2005

Pairing: Sam/Jack

Spoilers: Season 1 to current season. I put stuff in there from too many eps to list.

Season: Future Season, possibly 9

Summary: During a quake on P3X 129 Sam gets trapped and remembers the first time she laid eyes on Jack O'Neill, years before she was assigned to the SGC. Sam is reliving certain moments in her life (in the form of flashbacks) as she remembers how she and Jack got together.

Disclaimer: Yada yada yada, their not mine and we know who they do belong to.

May 2005

Sam woke with a start and opened her eyes. The pain instantly made her eyes tear up. She tried to remember what was going on, but the pain was just too much. Where was her team? Daniel and Teal'c had been coming towards her just before the world went black.

She had been standing at the window of the assembly hall watching Daniel and Teal'c walk beside the Avonian Councilman. Daniel looked happy as he peppered the councilman with his many questions. Teal'c looked, well, like he always did; and they were coming her way.

All of a sudden the ground started shaking and she could barely stand upright. Things started falling all around her and then she was knocked out. She was unaware of the building falling down around and on top of her. Her last thought was that she would never see Jack O'Neill again.

Now she just hoped that Daniel and Teal'c were safe. She knew that they would go back to the Stargate and get help. And, as long as she held on, they would get her out of here. That was the one thing she knew with her whole being; her team would do anything for her and so would Jack.

Over the last eight years, Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter had learned that SG-1 was a lot closer than most teams. They had gone to hell and back together, literally, and have even died and came back together. The four of them were closer than most families and would die for each other.

Sam tried to move to get a little more comfortable, if there was any such thing. She cried out in severe pain when she tried to move her arm, and then she passed out again.

Flashback to 1985

Seventeen year old Samantha Carter walked into Rosie's Bar like she owned the place. She knew exactly where to go and knew who she was looking for. Her best friend, Sarah MacKenzie, was always here with her military friends.

Sarah always hung out with the military personnel because they supplied her with the alcohol. She hated seeing Sarah like this, she was only hurting herself, but Sam would always stand beside her best friend. As she approached the table, she heard the men talking with Sarah.

"Come on, baby. Just one more drink. You and I both know you want one." The guy was saying.

Before Sam could say anything and get her friend out of there, another man spoke up. "Leave her alone, Jenkins. She's had enough and so have you." The second man said.

Sam decided to wait and see what happened next. She watched the first man get up and approach the second man. "Aw come on, Cap, I'm just having some fun. She's not complaining, now is she?"

The second man stood and towered over the first. "That will be enough, Sergeant Jenkins. You've had too much to drink and it's time you returned to the base. NOW." He watched Jenkins walk away and then turned back to the table and bent down to check on Sarah.

Sam walked up to the table and tapped the man on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir. I can take over from here." When he stood, she was lost in his chocolate eyes. She couldn't think of anything to say and she couldn't avert her eyes; not that she wanted to.

When he looked away, she bent down and made Sarah look at her. "Come on, Sarah, wake up. It's time to go home now; you don't want your dad to wake up and find you gone." She tried not to look at the handsome man, but it was hard not to.

"Hi, my name is John. Is there anything I can do to help you out?" He asked her.

Sam looked up at him and smiled. "No, thank you. I can take care of her. I do it almost every night. Thanks for getting that guy to leave her alone. Not all of them do. I've had to fight a few of them off of her." She usually wouldn't be telling this stranger all of this, but he seemed like a man she could trust.

"Jenkins is a bad drunk and doesn't know when to go home. I'll make sure his CO knows that he needs a few days on base. I'm sorry he did this to your friend. She seems like a nice person." He told her as he helped her stand Sarah up.

Sam smiled at him. "She's a good person who's had a bad life and that's what's brought her to this. It's not all your friend's fault. He just contributed to it. I'm in here almost every night dragging her out anyway."

"Oh for cryin' out loud, he's not my friend. We're in the same unit and that's it. He followed me here tonight and then when your friend Sarah came in I stuck around to make sure he didn't take advantage of her." He told her as he helped her walk to the door.

She tried not to laugh at him, her grandmother used to say for crying out loud. "Well, thank you for that John. She'll be happy to know that she had a knight in shinning armor tonight."

They walked slowly out of Rosie's in silence, Sam leading them to her car. He helped her get Sarah into the car and then shut the car door. "So, I guess I'll see you here again tomorrow night? I mean if she does this again?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I guess you will since she does this every night. This is the worst she's been, though. I appreciate all of your help here and I guess I'll see you around." She said as she walked around the car to get in.

He followed her, not sure why but he didn't want her to leave him. She was pretty, but there was something more to it. "I didn't get your name."

She turned back to answer him, not realizing he was so close and bumped into him. He reached out to steady her and couldn't take his hand off of her arm. Sam was blushing and staring straight ahead at his shirt, afraid to look in his eyes and get lost in them again.

She cleared her throat and stepped back. "I'm Samantha. It's nice to meet you, John. I really do have to be getting her home before she gets sick in my car. I'll be seeing you around."

He watched her get in and drive away with a smile on his face.

end of flashback

Sam awoke to the feeling of pain in her left arm; it was lying in a weird position almost behind her. She was pretty sure that it was either broken or dislocated. There was also a pounding in her head; she must have been hit there when the building came down. Oh how she wished that the guys would hurry and find her.

She wondered if Daniel and Teal'c had made it back with help to dig her out. Sam knew them so well, and was certain that they went to get help back from the SGC. She wondered if Jack would be coming with them. She really hoped that he would; she really needed to see him right now. His presence would always calm her when at a time like this.

It was times like this, when one of them were in some kind of trouble that his ill-timed jokes or sarcasm would make her smile. He had a way about him that was unlike everyone else. Jack O'Neill was the most exasperating man at times but he could sure make her laugh when she needed him to.

She chuckled to herself and flinched when it moved her arm. "Damn. Stop moving or you're really gonna make it worse." She whispered to herself.

All of a sudden the ground started shaking again and Sam was thrown around under the rubble. Who would have thought that being buried under so much, that you could still be tossed and moved? Well the good thing was that the shaking jarred her arm loose and she now had it by her side. She still couldn't move it though. Now there was a pressure on her chest.

By the time that the shaking stopped, Sam had been turned onto her side. Now she was in a better position to protect her arm. The rubble around her seemed to have shifted to make her a little more comfortable, but it also made the hole she was in a little smaller.

She worried that she hadn't heard any movement above her, that wasn't good news. She wondered how much rubble she was buried under. If there was too much, then it could be days before anyone found her.

If she was still alive; no she had to stop thinking like that. "They will find me; the general won't leave me here like this. He's probably up there digging me out himself right now." She told herself. General Jack O'Neill did not leave a man or woman behind. She loved that about him.

Sam was moved again when another after shock started. This time it shook her so bad that she banged her head on something and was knocked out again.

Flashback to 1997

"Where's Captain Carter?" Sam heard Hammond ask as she waited in the hall. Then she heard Samuels' reply. "Just arriving, sir."

This was going to be good. It always was when she was assigned to a new post. She leaned in a little to hear what was being said.

O'Neill, who was standing asked, "Carter?" And Hammond replied, "I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission."

O'Neill looked to Hammond and she could hear it in his muffled voice that he wasn't too happy. "I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir."

Hammond wouldn't have any of it though and in his best command voice let O'Neill know who was in charge. "Not on this mission, sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate."

O'Neill who was leaning over table to write down something asked. "Where's he transferring from?

Sam knew that that was her que to answer. "She is transferring from the Pentagon."

Startled, O'Neill looks up as a blonde woman enters, walking over to stand by the vacant chair across from O'Neill.

She loved the look on his face. "I take it you're Colonel O'Neill." She stops speaking and salutes him. "Captain Samantha Carter reporting, sir."

O'Neill, a bit surprised, returns the salute.

Kawalsky looked at her and smiled. "But of course you go by Sam."

Sam smiled and chuckled. "You don't have to worry, Major. I played with dolls when

I was a kid."

"G.I. Joe?" He asked her.

She tried not to laugh. "No. Major Matt Mason."

"Oh..." He replied then looked at Ferretti. "Who?"

Ferretti laughed. "Major Matt Mason, astronaut doll. Did you have that cool little

backpack that made him fly?" He asked her with a twinkle in his eye.

Hammond took charge once again. "Let's get started. Colonel?"

Sam takes her seat as O'Neill begins. He'd been watching them with amusement.

O'Neill begins. "Thank you. Those of you on your first trip through the Stargate,

you should be prepared for what to expect."

Sam spoke up before he could continue. "I've practically memorized your report from the first mission. I'd like to think I've been preparing for this all my life."

Kawalsky thought he'd scare her a bit and added. "I think what the Colonel is saying is... have you ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at 8-plus Gs?"

Sam wasn't taking the bait as he'd hoped. "Yes."

Kawalsky hesitates for a second, taken aback. "Well... it's way worse than that."

"By the time you get to the other side, you're frozen stiff like you've just been through a blizzard. Naked." Ferretti added.

Sam was ready for this and explained. "That's a result of the compression your molecules undergo during the millisecond required for reconstitution."

O'Neill knew it was bound to happen. "Oh, here we go, another scientist. General... please."

"Theoretical astrophysicist." She corrected.

"Which means...?" He asked.

"It means she is smarter than you are, Colonel. Especially in matters related to the Stargate." Hammond answered for her.

Kawalsky and Ferretti, who had been watching the exchange closely chuckled. O'Neill gives them a look, and they try to look serious.

Sam finally got O'Neill's attention. "Colonel, I was studying the Gate technology for two years before Daniel Jackson made it work and before you both went through. I should have gone through then. But sir, you and your men might as well accept the fact

that I am going through this time."

O'Neill didn't like being told what to do. "Well, with all due respect, Doctor—"

"It is appropriate to refer to a person by their rank, not their salutation. You should call me Captain, not Doctor..."

"Captain Carter's assignment to this unit is not an option, it's an order." Hammond demanded.

"I'm an Air Force officer just like you are, Colonel. And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside, doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle." She challenged him.

O'Neill, now sitting down. "Oh, this has nothing to do with you being a woman. I like women. I've just got a little problem with scientists."

"Colonel, I logged over 100 hours in enemy airspace during the Gulf War. Is that tough enough for you? Or are we going to have to arm wrestle?" Challenging him again with a smile on her lips.

Kawalsky and Ferretti look impressed by now, and O'Neill shrugs it off – but it's clear he's done arguing.

Samuels chose that moment to burst their bubbles. "I hate to throw a damper on your enthusiasm, but I still say the safest, most logical way to deal with this is to bury the Stargate just like the ancient Egyptians did. Make it impossible for the aliens to return. It's the only way to eliminate the threat."

O'Neill grimaced at him. "Except it won't work."

"It worked before." Hammond said.

O'Neill looked at Hammond. "They know what we are now. They know how far we've come. We're a threat to them. They've got ships, General. Ra had one as big as the Great Pyramids. They don't need the Stargate to get here. They can do it the old-fashioned way. Now with all due respect to Mr. Glass-Is-Half-Empty over here, don't you think we should use the Stargate to do a little reconnaissance before they come back, again?" He finished as he pointed at Samuels.

The other officers at the table turn and look at Hammond expectantly.

"I'll give you exactly 24 hours to either return or send a message

through. No Kleenex boxes, please." Hammond said as he stands, and the others follow suit. "Otherwise, we'll assume the worst... and send a bomb through."

O'Neill nodded and replied. "Understood."

Sam was watching O'Neill the whole time and kept thinking that he seemed familiar. She was wondering if she had known him somewhere before. She almost never forgot a face or name and his was eluding her at this time, but she knew she'd remember in time.

end of flashback

This time when Sam came to she knew she was in trouble. She was shaking so bad that it was jarring her arm again. She knew she was in shock and if help didn't come soon she just might not make it until the guys found her.

No, Jack would find her, she had faith in him. Jack didn't give up on his people and he especially wouldn't give up on finding her. He was the one who wouldn't quit until he found her when Adrian Conrad and his goons had kidnapped her.

No, Jack was always going to be the one to find her when she was missing. After all, he didn't give up when she was alone and running from the Super Soldier or when she was on the Prometheus and it was hi-jacked. He didn't give up on looking for her either when she was alone and lost once again on Prometheus in that gas cloud.

And of course there were other countless times that he wouldn't give up until she was safe. He was even going to die himself when he couldn't get to her through the force shield at the fortress belonging to Apophis. He was going to die with her because he cared about her….a lot more than he was supposed to.

She can also remember when she realized how she knew him from before the Stargate Project. It didn't take her that long to figure it out. The first time she heard him say his famous 'For crying out loud' she knew he was the guy who helped her in a moment that she needed him most.

She was thinking back on that moment that she recognized him when she lost consciousness again.

Flashback

Walking down the trail on Chulak, Daniel and Sam are chatting. "So, Dr. Jackson, tell me about Sha're. How did you meet?"

Daniel looked a little uncomfortable. "Oh, Sha're. Well, she's, uh--

Jack tried not to laugh. "She was a gift."

Daniel quickly replied. "She was, actually, from the elders of Abydos the first time we were there."

Sam was shocked. "And you accepted?"

Daniel is saved from answering as O'Neill, noticing activity up ahead,

raises a hand. "Hold up."

Through the fog and the trees, a group of hooded figures can be seen coming up the road towards them. O'Neill backs towards the cover of the bushes, indicating that Carter and Daniel should follow. "C'mon."

Sam and Jack hunker down in the brush within sight of the trail, holding their weapons at the ready. Daniel crouches down beside them. The hooded figures are more visible now, and we see that it's a group of cloaked monks in snakeskin cowls, with the symbol of Apophis tattooed on their heads. Each carries a tall wooden staff with a purple stone at the head. As Sam and Jack observe, Daniel gets up from their hiding place.

Jack orders Sam. "All right, Captain. Take your position fifty yards—" He stops, noticing that Daniel's not only broken cover, but is going to meet the monks. "Oh, for crying out loud."

Sam looks at him quickly and it all comes back to her, that night at the bar. That's how she knew him, he's John.

Daniel steps out into the middle of the road, right in the monks' path. Startled, they come to a halt. Daniel raises his hands, palms out, to communicate that he's unarmed. "Hi."

Jack rolls his eyes and says. "The man has not changed."

He and Sam get up from their hiding place and go down joining Daniel now that their cover's blown anyway. They take up position behind Daniel, pointing their guns at the monks.

End Flashback

Something just woke her up; what was it. She strained to listen for it again. What could it have been? She couldn't make it out what could have woken her. It almost sounded like the building above her was shifting, not like in a quake; but more like it was being lifted off of her.

Now she heard a different kind of noise, but she couldn't make it out. It was still too far away to hear it clear enough. She strained her ears to see if she could make it out but there was still too much debris on top of her. And the noise of the shifting debris was getting louder.

There it was again, a low mumble, almost like a voice. Sam knew they would come and find her. She wondered how far they were from her, and if they'd make it before the next shaker.

She could feel the pressure on her chest getting lighter. And she could have sworn that the darkness was getting lighter, but she couldn't open her eyes. Why couldn't she open her eyes? She kept praying that they would hurry up and get her out of there.

Her prayers were answered when the next thing she felt was a hand on her face. "Sam? Sam are you okay?" It was Jack and everything was going to be okay. She started crying and couldn't talk even though she tried. "Jack?"

It came out in a horse whisper but he heard her. "I'm here Sam, hold on I'm coming." He must have been close to her. She tried to open her eyes but they wouldn't obey her command. The last she was aware of before she passed out again, was his hands on her face and his voice telling her that she would be okay.

She didn't wake up the whole time that Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c uncovered her body. Nor did she awake when Jack felt for injuries and a pulse. She didn't wake when he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the Stargate and all the way to the infirmary.

She didn't hear his promises of everything would be alright or how much she had scared him. Or how much he loved her and was praying that she was going to be okay. She didn't feel his tears on her face when he looked down at her.

She also didn't see the worry on Daniel's or Teal'c's face as they watched Jack. He wouldn't release her to anyone as he carried her. Sam was oblivious to all around her. She was once again lost in memories of happier days.

Flashback 2005

Sam stood in the moonlight on the dock letting the tears fall freely. Yesterday had been dad's funeral and this morning she had been kidnapped by the guys and brought here to Jack's cabin in Minnesota. She should be in bed, but she couldn't sleep.

The guys were all in bed by now; the drive had been a long and tiring one. They had all taken turns driving so they could drive straight through. It was so obvious that they were keeping a close eye on her too.

While she drove they made sure that someone was awake to talk to her and keep her mind off of Jacob. It just happened to be Daniel who was awake when she was driving and he spent most of the trip talking about the ZPM that was uncovered with the video tape.

Sam looked out over the pond and thought how peaceful it was here. Tomorrow they were supposed to all fish and since there wasn't any fish in the pond she had smuggled a book in her suitcase.

As she thought about her dad, the tears kept falling. She thought that she was okay about his death, but she was wrong. She missed him so very much and needed him to hold her right now. It was times like this when she was a little girl that only his arms could calm her.

She couldn't take it anymore, instead of the silent tears she was sobbing. She was crying for her lost time with her dad and Selmac this past year. She was crying because she should have known something was going on when he collapsed after using the device against the Replicators. It was all her fault.

All of a sudden she was wrapped in a pair of strong arms, and he was holding her and rocking her whispering softly. "Shhhh, it's going to be alright I promise. Please don't cry Sam."

The used of her first name coming out of Jack's mouth surprised her and she turned in his arms and looked up at him. She felt so lost and couldn't stop crying. "I miss him so much. It's all my fault."

Jack looked at her and pulled her close. "It's not your fault Sam. You didn't kill him. Jacob would never even think that you were responsible. He told her. He did what he had to for all of us. So, you see it's not your fault."

His words and arms comforted her as her fathers used to and the tears slowed then stopped. She pulled back and looked at him again. "I'm sorry if I woke you. I just needed some time alone to think. I just can't believe he's gone sir."

He touched her chin and moved her face to look him in the eye. "It's Jack, Sam. We're not at the mountain and we're on downtime. And I know what you mean about not believing that he's gone. I'm finding it hard too. I also miss Dad."

Wide eyed she asked him, "Really?"

"Of course I do. Your father and I have a lot in common and he was the only Tok'ra I trusted. I had a lot of respect for him and he for me. He was a great man." He told her as he rubbed her back gently.

Sam loved the feel of his hands on her back and was trying very hard to stay focused. "What were some of the things you had in common? Well besides the fact that you were both career military?"

He smiled at her and touched her face again. "The biggest thing we had in common is our love for you." He wanted to laugh at how much bigger her eyes got.

"You just said that you love me." She said in shock.

He did laugh this time as he released her and sat down in the grass, pulling her down to sit next to him. Yes I did. I love you Sam. I'm saying it out loud instead of to myself for a change. I've wanted to say it for years."

"What about the SGC and the Air Force?" She asked still in shock.

He smiled at her. "I think it's time that I retired. I can always apply for the job of civilian command of the SGC, but even if I don't get it we can be together and your career isn't ruined." He saw the wheels working in her head. "Stop thinking, just feel."

It only took her a second to obey his command. She smiled at him and then claimed his lips. It was a light kiss at first but then she moaned and he took advantage of the moment and deepened the kiss.

When she pulled back and looked into his eyes, he saw all the love shinning in her eyes. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "I do love you Sam." He told her.

"I love you too Jack, I always have. I'm so sorry about Pete and I know I should have waited, and I hurt you. You know, Dad didn't like Pete?" She asked him.

He just raised his eyebrow.

"He told me that Selmac did like Pete, but later he told me that Selmac had slipped into the coma right after we took out the Replicators. So I can't figure out if dad was trying to make me feel better or what." She laid her head on his shoulder.

He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "Maybe he was trying to make you feel better but you know what, it doesn't matter anymore. You broke up with Pete and now I have you all to myself. And as for you hurting me, I only wanted you to be happy. If he made you happy, then I was happy for you."

"I thought he was making me happy, but I wasn't. I kept thinking that I was making a mistake. I kept hoping that you'd tell me to stop seeing him. I guess I was taking the cowards way out." She said.

Jack lifted her chin and made her look at him. "You are not a coward. Let's stop talking about Pete, I have something better planned."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" She asked.

He stood and reached for her. "I would like to go inside and go to bed. But I'd like you to come with me. I don't mean we have to have sex right now, I just want to lie in my bed and hold you."

She smiled at him and kissed him. "I'd like that Jack."

They walked into the cabin together and she fell asleep in his arms. The first of many nights sleeping in his arms.

end Flashback

When Sam woke up, she was in the infirmary. She looked around and saw him sleeping next to her in the chair with his head on the mattress. She moved her hand and ran it through his hair, waking him.

Jack opened his eyes and saw her awake. "Hey, you're awake." He got up and pushed the button that calls the doctor.

"Hey yourself. How long was I out?" She asked him.

He looked at his watch and then at her. "Well it's been two days since the quake and it took us almost eighteen hours to dig you out. So you've been out just over a day."

"How long am I going to have to stay here? Do you think the doctor will let me go home soon?" She moved her hand next to his.

"She said that if everything looked well when you woke up, she'd release you into someone's custody that day. So, if she likes what she sees, you're free to come home with me." He told her.

Doctor Lam walked in at that moment. "General O'Neill, could you excuse us for a moment?"

Jack got up, smiled at Sam and walked out of the room. Sam looked at the doctor and asked, "So you think I can go home today Doc?"

"It all depends Colonel Carter. How are you feeling?" She asked Sam.

"For someone who has spent time under a building, a bump on the head, and a dislocated shoulder I feel great. No headache, my arm doesn't hurt as bad as it should. I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed." She looked hopeful to Doctor Lam.

She smiled at Sam and nodded. "I'll let General O'Neill know that he can take you home and I'll let General Landry that I'm putting you on medical leave for at least a month. I want to see you in 30 days and I'll see then if you're healed enough to return to duty."

Sam returned her smile, she liked Doctor Lam. She was no Janet Fraiser, but she was a good doctor. "Thanks Doc. When can I come back in and work in my lab?"

"Like I said Colonel Carter, you're not to come in for one month. I will make sure that General O'Neill keeps you away the whole month." She said as she got up and left her alone to get dressed.

Jack opened the door to his house and ushered Sam in. "Welcome to my humble abode. Take a load off and I'll put your things in my room." He said as he moved off to the back of the house.

Sam went in and sat down on the sofa and waited for him to return. When he walked in, she looked up. "Come over here Jack. I missed you and need you to hold me." She opened up her arms and he was in them in the time it took to cross the room.

"I missed you too Sam. I love you." He sat down and held her and that's where they sat most of the night. She was safe in his arms and he wasn't letting her go anywhere without him for the whole month.

"I love you too Jack. How would you like to go up to your cabin tomorrow?" She asked him.

"Great minds think a like. I was just about to ask you the same thing, except I was gonna suggest we leave tonight. " He bent down and kissed her.

She kissed him back and when he pulled back she ran her finger over his lips." I just want to sit here in your arms like I did the night after Dad's funeral. We can leave in the morning."

He smiled smug at her. "I've created a monster, now you can't get enough of my cabin."

She just smiled and laid her head on his shoulder and fell asleep in his arms where she felt safe and always would.

The End


End file.
